280 Russian aid trucks leave for Ukraine

A Russian convoy of up to 280 trucks carrying humanitarian aid has reportedly left for Ukraine.

The convoy set off from the Moscow region early this morning, according to ITAR-TASS.

The region’s administration is quoted as saying that the aid consists of food, medicine, medical equipment, sleeping bags, and portable power generators.

On August 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso that Russia was sending a humanitarian convoy into Ukrainewith Red Cross supervision and without a Russian military escort.

Ukraine said it had agreed to a humanitarian mission to the separatist stronghold of Luhansk that includes cooperation from the European Union, Germany, Russia, and others, and is led by the Red Cross.

Laurent Corbaz, the head of Red Cross operations for Europe and Central Asia, said in a statement yesterday that all sides must guarantee the security of Red Cross workers because the organization will not take part in any aid delivery mission that involves military escorts.